American billionaire Bill Ackman has raised concerns about the Biden administration’s efforts to secure long-term union agreements with federal workers ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
In a post on X, Ackman claimed that President Joe Biden is attempting to “make permanent the Deep State” before leaving office. He argued that these efforts were designed to burden the government with unsustainable contracts, making it harder for Trump and the department of government efficiency (DOGE) to succeed. “This needs to stop now,” Ackman concluded.
Ackman’s remarks come as the Biden administration pushes forward with a deal that could affect tens of thousands of social security administration (SSA) employees. Last week, the American federation of government employees (AFGE) secured an agreement with the SSA, ensuring hybrid work protections for staff until 2029 with employees working from home as well. The union represents 42,000 SSA workers, and this contract promises to maintain staffing levels while protecting telework arrangements, a key issue for many employees.
“This deal will secure not just telework for SSA employees, but will secure staffing levels through prevention of higher attrition, which in turn will secure the ability of the Agency to serve the public,” AFGE President Everett Couture wrote in a message to union members. A spokesperson for the SSA confirmed the update to the telework policy but noted that managers could still make temporary changes based on operational needs.
Unions, including AFGE, are pushing to extend existing collective bargaining agreements with federal workers before Trump takes office. Some union leaders are even calling for an executive order from the White House to formalise these changes.
As Biden’s administration seeks to finalise these agreements, Trump’s transition team, led by billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, is preparing to implement sweeping changes. Musk and Ramaswamy plan to reduce government spending and streamline federal operations, focusing on cutting the workforce and eliminating work-from-home policies. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, the duo argued that requiring federal employees to return to the office full-time would “result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.”
DOGE aims to make significant cuts by focusing on reducing the federal budget by $2 trillion, with the department set to dissolve by 2026.
